His Most Precious Dream
by Ranmawho1
Summary: Poor little Naruto, just four years old and all alone in the bitter winter of night. His Most precious dream isn't to become Hokage- it's to have something that most others take for granted.


A/N- Ya know, I don't really know why, but this sad little bit popped into my head, and it's not gonna leave me alone until I post it. I'm just making it a oneshot, but if anyone thinks that they can take this and make a multi-chap outta it, go ahead- just PM me and tell me first.

note- Musuko means 'son' in Japanese.

**-His Most Precious Dream-**

Little Naruto, just four years old, trudged through waist-deep snow, shivering as he pulled the raggedy blanket that he'd managed to find sitting on top of a dumpster earlier more tightly around himself. A few hours before, he'd run away from the orphanage that he'd lived in. He couldn't take it any more- The cold stares he always got from the adults, the whispered insults, the beatings from the other children, and the harsh punishments from the caretakers... Finally he'd run away, looking through the town for the only person who'd ever been kind to him, the Third Hokage.

Little Naruto knew deep down that he might not be able to find the old man who only got around to seeing him twice a month at most- Jiji-san was a very busy man after all, but he had to try!

So it was on cold, bare feet that Little Naruto made his way to the Hokage's tower. Looking up hopefully, he checked to see if there were any lights on inside, and spotted one shining through a window a few stories up! A budding excitement in his chest, Little Naruto ran up to the main doors and grasped the knob, twisting it- only to find, to his dismay, that it was locked. "Aw man, what am I gonna do now?" He whined under his breath, trying the other knob. The building didn't have any other doors that he knew of, and even the lowest windows were too high for him to reach- And he didn't know of anyone else in town who would take him in- everyone hated him it seemed.

'Well fine! I'll just have to wait here 'till someone comes!' He thought resolutely, moving closer to the doors to stay out of the wind as he pushed what snow had managed to accumulate in front of the doors with his feet. Plopping down, he made sure that his blanket was wrapped tightly around himself in hopes of some warmth, fully intent on staying there, and awake, until someone came and let him in.

* * *

Half an hour passed, and his vision began to waver before it briefly went black. Opening his eyes back up, Little Naruto blinked a few times to chase the sleepies away, when he noticed a pair of figures, both wearing full-body cloaks with the hoods pulled up, appeared from the swirling snow, walking towards him. Bolting upright, he waved his arms above his head. "Hey! Are you gonna go see Jiji-san or something?! Can you tell him that Naruto's down here, and he really needs to see him?!" He asked hopefully.

"What are you doing out here in the cold, little one?" The shorter of the two figures asked, her tone high and clear, clearly a woman's.

Little Naruto hung his head. "The people at the orphanage were bein' mean to me, so I ran away! Jiji-san's the only one whose ever nice to me, so I came ta see him." He replied, his teeth chattering slightly from the cold.

The taller of the two stepped forward, kneeling before Little Naruto. "Well, we can't leave you out in the cold like this, can we? Come Naruto-kun, we'll take you home where you can be warm." He said, revealing himself to be a man with a deep baritone.

Little Naruto backed against the doors. "Wh-what are you talkin' about?! You're just tryin' ta play a trick on me like everybody else, I know it!" He accused pointing.

The man, his face still hidden, looked back at his companion, and then back at Naruto, extending both of his arms in an open gesture. "Please Naruto-kun, we're not trying to trick you, we just want to give you something hot to eat and a warm place to sleep." He pleaded.

Naruto looked at the man. "You ain't gonna hurt me?" He asked, the slightest bit of hope creeping into his voice.

"Cross my heart." The man replied, scooping Little Naruto up in his arms, holding the small boy close to his chest.

* * *

A few minutes later found the trio entering a house, the cloaked man carrying little Naruto into the living room while the woman disappeared into a kitchen. "Th-thank you..." Little Naruto mumbled as the man sat him on a couch before wrapping a fluffy blanket around him.

"It's no trouble Naruto-kun, you don't need to thank us." The woman replied, bussling back into the room and handing a mug full of hot coca to Little Naruto.

Wh-why are you guys wantin' to help me?" Little Naruto asked, subdued

"Is there any reason why we wouldn't want to help our own son?"

Little Naruto's head snapped up "Wh-what d-d-did yuh-you just suh-say?" The small boy asked in a broken whisper as the mug slipped from between his suddenly nerveless fingers, shattering on the floor.

In a flourish, both adults ripped their cloaks away, revealing themselves. The man was tall and majestic-looking, seeming to share a resemblance with Little Naruto, especially his messy blond hair and peircing blue eyes, dressed in shinobi attire. The woman was similarly garbed, seeming to have more of Naruto's facial-features, and her hair was a beautiful shade of red that cascaded down her back. "Musuko, we're your parents." The woman said softly.

Little Naruto's eyes grew wide. "th-then where have you been?" He asked, rememberd all of the jeers and taunts he'd received since he could remember.

The man bowed his head sorrowfully. I'm sorry musuko, but we've been on a very long mission- we're you not taken care of as we asked?" He asked softly.

Little Naruto shook his head. "Nuh-no.... Everyone's always been mean to me...." He said, beginning to tear up.

With a cry, both adults rushed forward, enveloping Little Naruto in a massive hug. "Don't worry baby, mommy and daddy will never leave you again!" The woman sobbed as they clutched their child.

* * *

Little Naruto lay against the doors to the Hokage's Tower, sleeping. Without warning, a pair of tears slipped from his closed eyes, becoming crystals upon his small cheeks. "Mommy... Dad...dy..." He mumbled, turning his head in his sleep.

Despite what he always told everybody, Little Naruto's most precious dream wasn't to become Hokage.

It was to have a mommy and daddy of his own.

**-End-**

A/N- Gah! I dunno why, but I had to write this! It makes me so sad!!!


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